Mike Condon has learned to roll with the punches through his hockey career.

And, so 24 hours after a spectacular debut with the Senators (a 27-save shutout against the Vancouver Canucks), he was right back where he belonged in the club’s net. It was no coincidence he was the last one off the ice as the club wrapped up practice Friday at the Canadian Tire Centre.

The 26-year-old Condon may have been flying high with the victory, but he keeps his skates firmly planted on the ice.

“It’s always good to jump right in the fire when you, (come to a new team)” said Condon, acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a fifth-round pick on Wednesday. “I was just thankful for the start. It’s always good to get that first game and, hopefully, a win out of the way.”

Condon became only the third goalie in franchise history to record a shutout in his first game with the organization. He joined a list that includes Craig Anderson when he made his debut in 2011 and Patrick Lalime in his first game with the Senators way back in 1999.

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Acquired by the Senators with Anderson given a leave of absence to be with his ill wife Nicholle and backup Andrew Hammond sidelined with a groin injury, Condon didn’t have a whole lot of time to think about what he was about to face when he jumped into the net against the Canucks.

He was with the Penguins in Anaheim when he got word he’d been dealt. He left LAX at 4:55 p.m. EST, arrived in Toronto at 10 p.m. and took the last flight to Ottawa that arrived at 1:30 a.m. By the time he got to his hotel and settled, it was 3 a.m.

The alarm went off, he grabbed a coffee in the lobby and headed for the rink.

No, there isn’t any rest for the weary.

“Sometimes it’s better that way,” Condon said. “You get off the rink, you get to the hotel and you play. That’s the best way to do it. There’s no sitting around and thinking about it.”

Given time to think about it, the Senators are pretty amazed at the composure that Condon was able to show with so little rest and suiting up with a bunch of guys in front of him that he’d just met for the first time.

“It was pretty incredible,” said winger Bobby Ryan. “Condon told me he maybe got 2.5-to-3 hours sleep the night before and I couldn’t believe that he skated to get the flying out of his system and that he was able to turn it around.

“He was pretty resilient and had a pretty good effort. We tried to make him comfortable by eliminating the second and third chances. They got a few but he stood tall for us, especially in the third, I thought in the third period, he really was just incredible.”

Ryan wasn’t alone with those thoughts.

“He gets in at 3 a.m., he’s at the morning skate and there’s a lot of things that go into (it),” said defenceman Dion Phaneuf. “He just focused and gave us a really solid effort. He played great, he gave us a chance, he made some stops to keep us in the game and we found a way to win a big game at home against a desperate team that has not been able to find success.

“Teams like that are very dangerous and we found a way to beat them.”

Having bounced around the league, Condon, who was picked up on waivers by the Penguins earlier this season, isn’t taking anything for granted. He has learned it’s important to have a strong work ethic.

“The motto I’ve always had since I signed an (amateur tryout) out of college is being comfortable with being uncomfortable,” said the likeable Condon. “You’re not always going to have your roots set, you’re not always going to be situated, you’re not going to have a car, you’re going to have to hitch rides and you’re going to have to live in a hotel.

“You’re always going to be catching flights or doing crazy travel. (There’s) going to be new locker rooms, new teams, new gear. There’s just constant changing and you can’t fight it. You’ve just got to go with the flow and accept it. A good motto is be comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

Ottawa Senators Andrew Hammond reacts after giving up a goal to Dougie Hamilton of the Calgary Flames during NHL hockey in Calgary on Friday, Oct. 28, 2016.AL CHAREST /
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There is no timetable for Andrew Hammond’s return but it won’t be any time soon.

Placed on the injured-reserve after suffering a groin injury eight days ago in Calgary, Hammond hasn’t been on the ice since and he’s going to be out at least another week as a result of the issue.

“This one’s less of day-to-day. This one’s going to be longer. We’re not talking months here but it’s going to be a chunk of days,” said coach Guy Boucher.

The Senators acquired goalie Mike Condon in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. He’s expected to either start or back up Craig Anderson on Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres. Anderson has been granted a second leave of absence to be with his wife Nicholle, who has been diagnosed with cancer, but could return for Saturday’s game.

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